Kristi Kates | Author

Grace Vanderwaal – Just the Beginning – Syco Music

Dec. 9, 2017

She won America’s Got Talent, she’s not yet out of her teenage years, and she crafts unique, quirky folk-pop songs very different from anything else you’re probably listening to right now. Vanderwaal’s skills are evident on both ukulele and vocals, althoug... Read More >>

Lifting Large

Dec. 9, 2017

There’s weightlifting … and then there’s Olympic weightlifting.
        
And there are three women in Traverse City who can definitely tell you all about the difference between the two.
    &... Read More >>

OK Go Gets Obsessed

Dec. 9, 2017

OK Go are known for their wildly imaginative videos, and their latest doesn’t disappoint. Set to the tune of “Obsession” from the band’s Hungry Ghosts album, the video, which took five days to film, utilizes over 500 computer printers to ... Read More >>

21 Outdoor Adventures

Dec. 2, 2017

Want to have your best winter ever in northern Michigan’s great snowy outdoors? Here are 21 adventurous suggestions to keep you busy until spring.

1. RIVER DRIFTING
Big Bear Adventures, 4271 S. Straits Hwy., Indian River
... Read More >>

No Woman Left Inside

Dec. 2, 2017

BOW, or Becoming an Outdoors Woman, is a three-day weekend program the Michigan Department of Natural Resources designed to get more women outside.
        
Michelle Zellar is the program coordinator for the BOW project, and she explaine... Read More >>

Hot Concerts for Cold Nights

Dec. 2, 2017

Sure, there’s something super special about listening to live music on the dunes and under the trees in the summertime. But when the winter winds blow, you’ve got to admit there’s something about crowding elbow to elbow as your favorite artist lights up the stage inside ... Read More >>

Tim McGraw and Faith Hill – The Rest of Our Life – Sony Nashville

Dec. 2, 2017

Not that it’s anything new for McGraw and Hill to get personal in their tunes, but this album pretty much presents their entire relationship in music for everyone to hear. It’s their first fully realized duet album, although on some tracks, one or the other takes more of the l... Read More >>

Mike and The Streets Hit the Road

Dec. 2, 2017

Electronica/rap artist Mike Skinner (pictured), and The Streets, who did a farewell tour for fans six years ago, are returning to the live stage with a big comeback tour that will be their first since their tour in support of The Streets’ fifth albu... Read More >>

Don’t Ski? Don’t Worry!

Dec. 2, 2017

With so much of northern Michigan’s winter culture revolving around skiing, it’s tough for those who never took to the sport. But that doesn’t mean you can’t join friends or family at the lodge! Cheer them on as they head to the ski lift, enjoy an on-site meal and ... Read More >>

Bistro FouFou’s Steak-Frites

Dec. 2, 2017

Picture a nattily dressed couple sitting in a fine European brasserie, enjoying a perfectly cooked steak with a side of … French fries.
        
Considered to be one of the favored dinner choices of the French and the Belgians (bo... Read More >>

International Good

Nov. 25, 2017

Northern Michigan’s charitable folk often extend their reach well beyond our own borders. Here’s how some of our local people are making a major difference in far-flung parts of the world.

Mancelona Vet Dale Ackler
Helping Animals in India... Read More >>

Rockin’ Eats at the Torch Lake Cafe

Nov. 25, 2017

The building that houses the Torch Lake Cafe has a long history. According to owner Leanna Collins, it was a church back in the 1800s. When she and her husband, Jim Hettinger, bought the building, they decided to restore it to its former glory.

“We put a porch on it and ... Read More >>

Gwen Stefani is Ready for Christmas

Nov. 25, 2017

 

 

No Doubt singer-turned-solo artist Gwen Stefani has just released her first holiday album, You Make It Feel Like Christmas, a set that includes a blend of covers of holiday standard tunes and original festive songs of Stefani’s... Read More >>

Pentatonix – A Pentatonix Christmas Deluxe – RCA

Nov. 25, 2017

You can’t really go wrong with Pentatonix for vocal harmonies, and with nearly every Christmas carol featuring harmonies en masse, the pop ensemble is a great pick for a holiday album. On this set they spend half the tracks sticking to the classics: “Away in a Manger,” &... Read More >>

One Good Deed a Day for December

Nov. 25, 2017

Want to get in good with the man in red? (And help your community while you’re at it?) Here’s 25 ways you can make this holiday season a little better for someone in need.

Dec. 1. Make sure a foster child, homeless teen, or kid in a struggling family g... Read More >>

5 Gifts for Kids

Nov. 18, 2017

Ticket to Ride: Rails and Sails
The Ticket to Ride series of tabletop games are fantastic diversions for two reasons: One, they’re immersive and educational. Two, they’re just plain fun, with as many adults playing the games as kids, collecting train and... Read More >>

Adam and Maroon 5 Get the Blues

Nov. 18, 2017

Adam Levine and his Maroon 5 bandmates have a brand new full-length album, Red Pill Blues, heading your way this week. They’ve also announced dates for a massive 2018 tour that will keep the band busy for the latter half of the spring, and then all of next fall, inc... Read More >>

Get in the Spirit: Holiday Events Around the North

Nov. 18, 2017

BELLAIRE
Bellaire’s 8th Annual Light Up the Night community holiday part is happening on Dec. 2 this year, with a full day of family friendly events including the popular Parade of Lights, tree lighting with caroling, and the competitive soup cook-off, where f... Read More >>

Turnpike Troubadours – A Long Way from Your Heart – Bossier City

Nov. 18, 2017

With their highway-ready, picturesque name and Oklahoma roots, this Americana outfit (featuring singer Evan Felker) draws on personal experiences, sketched as rough as charcoal on fiberboard, to craft genuine, rootsy tunes that make the most of their guitar-based format. Whether it’... Read More >>

5 Gifts for Adventurers

Nov. 18, 2017

The River’s Loop Trips
Gift a novice adventurer a summer excursion that goes by both tires and water. The River in Traverse City offer three loops that include the TART trail and the beautiful Boardman river: The YMCA trip features a 1-hour bike ride and 3-hou... Read More >>